The 2nd W Club doll of the year is Graceful Reign - Vanessa Perrin channels Princess Grace

I could think of many ways to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Fashion Royalty with a special doll (Jason Wu making a Veronique Perrin exclusive would have been my first thought) but I would definitely not think what IT designer Jessy Ayala did. Graceful Reign Vanessa Perrin is the 20th Anniversary tribute to the origins of Fashion Royalty with a twist. We saw Vanessa 3.0 in the Nu Fantasy comeback, so the choice of the same character again was a bit unexpected.

Item # 91526

Graceful Reign

Vanessa Perrin® Dressed Doll

Fashion Royalty® 20th Anniversary Tribute Doll

2021 W Club Exclusive Doll

Edition Size: TBD

Expected Ship Date: Spring 2022

Retail Price: $199.00

(Only $30.00 Due Now to Pre-order!)

Head Sculpt: Vanessa 1.0

Body Type: FR 6.0

Foot Sculpt: High-heeled

Skin Tone: FR White

Hair Color: Pearl Blonde

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

Included:

12.5-inch articulated doll with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes;

Intricately embroidered sleeveless gown with "gold" and "silver" detail and ribbon belt;

Gorgeous removable matching floor-length cape;

Choker necklace with "pearl" accent;

Longer "pearl" necklace with "pearl" drop;

Bracelet, earrings, and small ring;

Additional oversized "diamond" ring;

Stunning "pearl" accented crown statement piece;

Matching strappy high-heeled shoes;

Pair of long manicured hands;

Alternate pair of grip hands;

Alternate pair of painted glove hands;

Doll stand;

Certificate of authenticity.

Apart from the “Vanessa again?”, the doll is quite beautiful, her colouring one that always looks great on a Fashion Royalty doll and is very versatile. Jessy had Princess Grace on his mood-board as inspiration, which is what makes the doll not quite what she should have been. The end result is dowdy and conservative. It is how a middle aged woman would dress for a royal occasion, if she was a member of one of Europe’s royal families. Vanessa on the other hand is a fashion icon and much younger, so we would have expected her to send up the royalty part in a modern, more youthful way. I would have looked more on the work of PierPaolo Piccioli in Valentino and Richard Quinn, and also the incomparable Christopher John Rogers. This is so retro and modest, it could be worn by Princess Anne or the Queens of Sweden, Norway or the Netherlands.

Having said that, the fabric is sumptuous and the accessories appropriately royal. The choice of headgear would look better on a Southeast Asian royal than a western one. The blue gloves are not as conservative as white ones would have been (like Princess Grace wore), but then again it is something one would expect of Queen Elizabeth, not a young fashion prodigy. Just imagine the whole outfit done either in jewel tones or a bright contrasting print and it would have been so much better and desirable. Will I get her? I still have not made up my mind. Have you?

Offer Type:

W Club Exclusive pre-order;

Pre-order Deadline:

October 1st, 2021 at 12 PM/Noon Eastern Time;

Pricing (FOR W CLUB MEMBERS ONLY):

$199.00 USD + S&H

($30.00 NRD deposit due now, $169.00 + S & H due in approx. Spring 2022);

Approximate Shipping Timing:

Spring 2022;

Availability:

2021 W Club members only;

Pre-order Limit:

Up to one (1) doll per each 2021 membership only.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Prototypes shown, final product may vary. This collectible is meant for adult collectors ages 15 and up only.

All photos and information contained herein is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC 2021 and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission. FASHION ROYALTY and all other character marks followed by ™ or ® are trademarks of Integrity Toys, Inc. Chesapeake City MD USA 21915. All rights reserved. The W Club is a trademark of Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC. All rights reserved.

Doll Photography by Jayme Thornton ; Layouts and graphics by Alain Tremblay, Marketing

She's the one that we want: the 4th W Club doll for the 2020 mebership year is revealed!

The W Club membership year ends in February, so that means that the two remaining dolls will be making their appearance this months - and so the 4th club doll was revealed. It is not surprising it is a Poppy Parker, since we get two of them as club dolls each year. The surprise (well, kind of) was that it was a two doll gift set and that it is Grease - inspired! With a bit of Barbie in it too. More of this later, let’s see what the amazing designer David Buttry did in homage to good and bad Sandy. The price is more than we have paid in the past for a two-doll Poppy set - even a three doll one!

Item # 77188

Sugar & Spice

Poppy Parker™ Duo-Doll Gift Set

The Poppy Parker™ Collection

2020 W Club Exclusive

Limited Edition: TBD

Estimated Arrival: Summer 2021

Retail Price: $225.00

Head Sculpt: Poppy Parker

Body Type: PP 1.5

Foot Sculpt: Articulated Ankle and High-heeled

Skin Tone: FR White (Both Dolls)

Hair Color: Light Blond and Platinum

Eyelashes: Yes, Hand-applied

Quickswitch: No

Included:

Two 12-inch articulated dolls with rooted hair and hand-applied eyelashes;

Certificate of authenticity;

Sugar look:

Beaded cardigan and sleeveless bodysuit;

Poodle skirt with tulle petticoat;

Bobby socks;

Pink and white flat saddle shoes;

Straw bag;

Heart earrings and bangle bracelet;

Hair bow;

Pair of regular Poppy Parker hands;

Alternate pair of "slight hold" hands;

Acrylic doll stand and pole;

Spice look:

Black halter top with shoulder straps and polka-dot bow detail;

Black capris;

Faux-leather belt;

Pink satin bomber jacket with contrasting embroidery detail on the front and back;

Pink neck-scarf;

Black cat-eye sunglasses;

Black open-toe pumps;

Black clutch purse;

2 bracelets;

Mini-hoop earrings;

Fake cigarette accessory;

Pair of regular Poppy Parker hands;

Alternate pair of "slight hold" hands;

Acrylic doll stand and pole;

W Club Exclusive pre-order.

Participation Deadline: Jan 20th, 2021, 12 PM (Noon) Eastern Time.

Pricing (FOR W CLUB MEMBERS ONLY): $225.00 USD + S & H.

($30.00 NRD deposit due now, $195.00 + S & H due in approx. Summer 2021).

Final Edition Size: To be determined (will be based on all orders received).

Shipping Timing: Approximately Summer 2021.

Availability: 2020 W Club members only.

Pre-order Limit: Up to 1 gift set per membership.

I am a big fan of Grease, and Olivia Newton-John, since I was ten years old, when the film premiered in 1978. The homage David did here is absolutely gorgeous. Lots of lovely details, from the saddle shoes to the charm bracelet, from the cigarette and cat eye sunglasses to the Pink Dolls (Ladies in the film) jacket, the embroidery on the cardigan. Spice’s outfit also has a whiff of Michelle Pfeiffer’s Pink Lady one in Grease 2 (which was not that different from those of the original film). and the bust is a nod to the street-wise girl of the film, Rizzo Sugar on the other hand, while keeping the Sandy one style, is more related to Nifty Fifties Barbie (Soda Shop also sported a poodle skirt). The screening of Sugar screams I Love How You Love Me, while Spice has the Lady Luck screening - I do not own any of those two, so this is an added bonus. So now, after Farrah Fawcett, we got Olivia Newton-John, a second 70s icon for Poppy - who could be the third? How about a70s Cher tribute?

IMPORTANT NOTE: Prototypes shown, final product may vary. For adult collectors ages 15 and up only.. All photos and information contained herein is copyrighted Integrity Toys, Inc. and Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC. and may not be reprinted or disseminated without express written permission. ©2021 All rights reserved. POPPY PARKER and all other character marks followed by ™ or ® are trademarks of Integrity Toys, Inc., Chesapeake City MD USA 21915. ©2021 All rights reserved. The W Club is a trademark of Intercap Merchant Partners, LLC. All rights reserved.

Doll Photography by Jayme Thornton. Layouts and graphics by Alain Tremblay, Marketing

David Bowie’s Space Oddity was released 50 years ago today and there is a Barbie inspired by him.

The seminal David Bowie song “Space Oddity”, was released as a 7-inch single on 11 July 1969. The opening track of his namesake 2nd studio album, it became one of his signature songs. And curiously enough, Mattel has released a Barbie inspired by the amazing artist.

The doll will be produced in a limited edition, as she is a Gold Label™️ doll. She’s dressed in one of his iconic Ziggy Stardust outfits, the metallic “space” suit with red and blue stripes, winged shoulders and red platform boots, as pictured in this legendary photo by Masayoshi Sukita from 1973. The suit was designed by his then costume designer Freddie Burretti (21 years old then and David’s boyfriend too!) alongside Kansai Yamamoto. The boots were designed and made by Kansai Yamamoto, bought by David and Angie from Boston 151, the shop in London’s Fulham Road that represented the designer in the UK. The boots would be worn again by Bowie, this time with jeans, in his nineties homecoming tour.

The make up was by Pierre LaRoche, Bowie’s personal make-up artist. He designed the sunburst circle on the singer’s forehead (and later the lightning bolt). Which brings us to what I think is a missed opportunity here: I would have preferred for the Bowie tribute doll to be more androgynous, as befits the great artist, and also have the lightning bolt make up, plus more spiky hair. The doll looks nice and I will probably get her, but she’s too slick and proper for a representation of the artist in that era. Just see what it might have been in this OOAK doll made by talented Russian duo AFD Group Dolls.

Here is the information from Mattel:

Barbie® David Bowie Doll

Ages: Adult Collector

$50.00

PRODUCT FEATURES:

Introducing Barbie® as David Bowie. In a definitive celebration of two pop culture icons, Barbie® honors the ultimate pop chameleon, English singer, songwriter and actor, David Bowie, whose dramatic musical transformations continue to influence and inspire. With a career spanning over five decades, David Bowie was at the vanguard of contemporary culture as a musician, artist, and icon. He was, and remains to be, a unique presence in contemporary culture. Dressed as Bowie’s fantastic sci-fi alter ego, Ziggy Stardust, in the iconic metallic ‘space suit,’ this collectible Barbie® doll honors the cultural legacy of the musical genius who redefined rock and roll. Subject to availability. Colors and decorations may vary. 

• Label: Gold Label®

• Designer: Linda Kyaw

• Release Date: 7/11/2019

• Included with doll: Blouse, pant, boots, doll stand

• Customization: Painted fingernails, painted art on forehead

• Eyelashes: Painted

• Fashion: Metallic suit and platform boots

• Fashion Sewn On?: No

• Body Type: Articulated-Original

• Doll Stand: Yes

• Facial sculpt: Star

• Package Dimensions (H/D/W): 13" x 3" x 8"

• SKU #: FXD84

Barbie will receive the Board of Directors' Special Tribute at 2019 CFDA fashion awards

Barbie is the iconic fashion doll. She’s the one that defines what a fashion doll is, the one that started it all. She has gone through the whole history of contemporary fashion since 1959, the year of her creation. She has collaborated with many well known fashion designers and icons, beginning in 1985 with Oscar De La Renta: Yves Saint-Laurent, Christian Dior, Karl Lagerfeld, Givenchy, Giorgio Armani, Versace, Moschino, Vera Wang, Donna Karan, Christian Louboutin, Hervé Léger, Ralph Lauren, Anna Sui, Badgley Mischka, Zac Posen, Byron Lars, Anne Klein, Stephen Burrows, Judith Leiber, Escada, Kate Spade, Nicole Miller, Todd Oldham, Diane Von Furstenberg, Burberry, Hanae Mori, Bill Blass and others. So it is only fitting that in the year of her 60th anniversary, the Council of Fashion Designers of America will honour her with the Board of Directors’ Special Tribute.

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Richard Dickson, Mattel’s President and Chief Operation Officer, said : “It is a tremendous honour for Barbie to be recognised by the CFDA Board of Directors for her contributions to American fashion. For the past six decades, Barbie has inspired and been inspired by fashion and creative communities. Barbie has had the great privilege of collaborating with some of the greatest designer of our time and this award is a moment to celebrate her lasting influence.”

Bill Blass Barbie

Steven Kolb, President and CEO of the CFDA, said: “Barbie has had such wide influence on American fashion and culture. Her story personally resonates with so many CFDA members that the Board of Directors decided to honor her with the special tribute.”

The 2019 CFDA Fashion Awards will be held on June 3rd at the Brooklyn Museum.

A very sad day for the doll community

Today is a very sad day for people in the doll community. Margaret Matsui from My Favourite Doll passed away. She was not only the face of MFD and one of the most favourite doll dealers but was actively engaged in the doll community and conventions, even hosting the first two Fashion Royalty conventions in Canada. W Club sent this lovely note:

It is with a heavy heart that we inform you of the passing of Integrity Toys and the W Club’s long-time friend and dealer, Margaret Matsui of My Favourite Doll.Marg had been privately battling cancer and leaves behind her best friend, husband and business partner, Rick, to whom she has been together with for 44 years and married for 36 years, and two loving sons. Rick and the family will continue to run the business and provide the outstanding service that MFD has always been known for, although Marg will always remain the face of My Favourite Doll.Marg was a dear friend of and collaborator with Integrity Toys, as well as an important fixture in the doll collecting community. She was an initial supporter of Fashion Royalty and co-organizer of the first two conventions with Alain, as well as a presence working at many others. She was kind, generous and a wonderful spirit and will be greatly missed by all.In lieu of flowers or cards, per Marg’s wishes, you may consider making a donation to the Canadian Cancer Society in Marg’s name at:

http://www.cancer.ca/en/get-involved/support-us/give-a-gift-in-memory-or-in-honour/?region=on

We are sorry to have to deliver this news and join those of you who knew Marg in mourning her loss.

The W Club Liaisons

My thoughts are with her family and friends. May they live long to remember her. Rest in peace Margaret.